Families of Kidnapped: Olmert Broke His Promise Twice

WorldNetDaily:

Israeli military 'fiercely' opposes lifting Lebanon blockade
Officials 'up in arms,' say 'Hezbollah's position will be greatly enhanced'
Posted: September 7, 2006
2:16 p.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

JERUSALEM – Israeli military leaders strongly objected to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's decision – implemented today – to lift an aerial blockade imposed on Lebanon since fighting broke out in July, WorldNetDaily has learned.

The military leaders also fiercely opposed to Olmert's agreement to end a siege on Lebanese sea ports, which will be put into effect within 48 hours. They argued ending the air and sea blockades will enable Hezbollah to receive arms shipments and to transport out of the country the two Israeli soldiers it kidnapped during an ambush July 12 that prompted 34-days of military confrontations.

Israel imposed the blockades after the Israeli soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, were abducted. The Israeli security establishment said the blockades were necessary to ensure the two soldiers remained inside Lebanon.

Lebanese leaders pleaded with the international community to press Israel into ending the blockades, which they said causes losses of up to $46 million per day to the Lebanese economy.

The air blockade was lifted this afternoon. The sea blockade will be removed within two days in coordination with a U.N. naval force.

Israel believes Goldwasser and Regev are still being held somewhere in Lebanon.

Olmert publicly had promised the Goldwasser and Regev families the Jewish state would not end the embargo on Lebanese air and sea ports until the soldiers were returned.

He also repeatedly pledged Israel's military campaign in Lebanon would not cease until the soldiers were freed. But the United Nations truce resolution Israel agreed to last month to end the war did not demand the soldiers' immediate return. Instead it called for negotiations leading to the freedom of the two Israeli captives.

"Olmert broke his promise twice," said Benny Regev, brother of Eldad Regev, at a press conference today after meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister.

"I am very disappointed that our soldiers are not coming home. The prime minister said that he would do everything to return the boys home. I very much hope that he'll keep his word, unlike his previous promises, which were not kept," Regev said.

"[Olmert] kept claiming ardently and unconditionally to do everything to get the boys back. We bought this answer twice – regarding the cease-fire and lifting of the blockade (on Lebanon today) – and were disappointed," said Regev.

Miki Goldwasser, mother of Ehud Goldwasser, told reporters Olmert was acting against the interests of the Jewish state by ending the air and sea blockade.

Indeed senior military leaders here tell WorldNetDaily they "fiercely" protested Olmert's decision to lift the blockades.

"The military brass is up in arms," a senior Israeli Defense Forces official said. "Israel's security will be undermined. Hezbollah's position will be greatly enhanced."

The military leaders said in a series of planning meetings the past few days they told Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz the ending of the Israeli blockades will allow the abducted soldiers to be smuggled out of Lebanon.

They also argued halting the blockade will ease domestic and international pressure on the Lebanese government with regard to disarming Hezbollah. They said the blockade must be utilized for leverage to ensure the implementation of the U.N. cease fire resolution.

But one military leader told WND Hezbollah will rearm regardless of any aerial or sea blockade.

He pointed out Olmert has directed the Israeli Air Force against firing on convoys entering Lebanon from Syria. He said the IAF has information on at least a dozen weapons shipments that reached Hezbollah the past three weeks.  [link]

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